Google Ads makes digital marketing easier, but it isn’t like cooking with a crockpot: you can’t just set it and forget it. It’s easy to think the more automated a process is, the more efficient it will be, but that’s just not so. Automation brings greater ease to the process, but can also set you up for bigger risks. The more automated the process the greater opportunity there is for things to fail, causing chaos down the line. The fact is, the more Google does, the more attention needs to be paid. Here’s what you need to look out for with the platform.
Mistakes Will Be Amplified
Everyone makes mistakes. But while people can identify and correct them, machines make the same mistakes until the problem is corrected by a human being. When they’re ingrained in the system, they become enmeshed in the process, creating havoc along the way. Whenever information is entered into an automated field–a city or state name, a direction, a price point, and so forth–check it, recheck it, and check it again against what is being entered in other areas. Skipping the review leaves behind bad data that can muck up the process and results.
From another angle, don’t overlook the keyword function in Google Ads. Be thorough and list all your company’s branded keywords. Ensure they’re relevant without being rigid. If you don’t insert branded keywords, customers looking specifically for you and your brand can’t find you, and your competition will swoop in and snatch them away.
Trust…but Verify
The ease of using Google automation can lull you into a false sense of security. Don’t think of Google as a personal assistant who takes it from there, making adjustments to your account’s benefit. Google’s system does what’s best for their business. Bringing search terms to appropriate landing pages is their overarching goal, but that doesn’t always mean the best search results for your company. Make Google work for you by ensuring and securing your position through regular review of search results for your brand. Trust Google, but verify!
Attention Must Be Paid
When we say the more Google does the more attention needs to be paid, that’s not a put-down. Google is a terrific tool, but like all tools it must be used properly to be effective. Digital marketing has a lot of moving parts, and when you look closely, automation isn’t as hands off as it sounds. Setting and forgetting is no way to run a campaign, because too much can go wrong in your absence. If you need help with digital marketing and finding the right recipe for an automated campaign, contact an SEO consulting company like Logical Position for a consultation. We offer search engine optimization (SEO) consulting and other services. We’re a SEO consulting firm staffed with experts possessing thousands of hours of experience. We add a smarter and more human touch to automation!